High-output-power densities from molecular beam epitaxy grown n- and p-type PbTeSe-based thermoelectrics via improved contact metallization
- Lincoln Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Lexington, Massachusetts 02420 (United States)
- Air Force Research Laboratory, Sensors Directorate, Hanscom AFB, MA 01731 (United States)
- Photonics Center, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, Massachusetts 01854 (United States)
Electrical power densities of up to 33 W/cm{sup 2} and up to 12 W/cm{sup 2} were obtained for n-type and p-type PbTeSe-based stand-alone thermoelectric devices, respectively, at modest temperature gradients of {approx}200 deg. C (T{sub cold}= 25 deg. C). These large power densities were enabled by greatly improving electrical contact resistivities in the thermoelectric devices. Electrical contacts with contact resistivities as low as 3.9 x 10{sup -6}{Omega} cm{sup 2} and 4.0 x 10{sup -6}{Omega} cm{sup 2} for n- and p-type telluride-based- materials, respectively, were developed by investigating several metallization schemes and contact layer doping/alloy combinations, in conjunction with a novel contact application process. This process exposes heated semiconductor surfaces to an atomic hydrogen flux under high vacuum for surface cleaning (oxide and carbon removal), followed immediately by an in-situ electron-beam evaporation of the metal layers.
- OSTI ID:
- 22038968
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 111, Issue 10; Other Information: (c) 2012 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0021-8979
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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